How Much Sleep Do Kids Need? (With Bonus Grown-Up Info)
As a sleep expert, I understand how important it is for parents and caregivers to ensure their children get enough sleep for optimal health and development. That's why I created a comprehensive guide on how much sleep kids really need. In this guide, parents will discover the optimal sleep duration for children of all ages and learn essential tips for making sure their child gets the rest they need to thrive. I also provide bonus advice on how grown-ups can improve their own sleep quality, making this guide a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their family's sleep habits.
I get asked all the time, "Is my child getting enough sleep? How much sleep do kids need?". There are a couple of ways to answer this question. Here's one way of answering the question.
- Does your child wake up in the morning without complaint?
- Does she pay attention in school without difficulty?
- Does she stay awake on short car trips around town?
If the answer to all of these questions is yes in a school age or older child, the answer is likely yes. However, sleep quality matters too-- your child could be getting twelve hours of sleep a night and still wake up exhausted if he has a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea, or if the TV is on in her room all night long. It can be harder to judge in younger children who nap routinely. That is why it is important to know what the normal range of sleep duration is by age.
In 2016, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine published new guidelines. These numbers were recently validated in a study published in 2026.
| Age | Recommended sleep per 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Infants 4–12 months | 12–16 hours (including naps) |
| Toddlers 1–2 years | 11–14 hours (including naps) |
| Preschoolers 3–5 years | 10–13 hours (including naps) |
| School age 6–12 years | 9–12 hours |
| Teenagers 13–18 years | 8–10 hours |
Recommended sleep durations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine consensus statement, endorsed by the AAP. (Full citation: Paruthi S, et al. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016;12(6):785–786.)
If you need a lot of sleep as a baby, you will need a lot when you are older.
One thing I would add- if your child is on the high end of sleep needs in early childhood, they will likely continue to be in the high end of the range when they are older.
If you have a high sleep needs baby, you often don't end up needing to sleep train or have any struggle with early morning awakenings. You feel like a parenting genius, and your friends are secretly jealous. But your child may struggle a bit as a teen.
Likewise, kids who need less sleep are challenging to parents– they get up early, give up naps early, and may be challenging. But as teens they tend to have an easier time of it.
Figuring out how much sleep your child needs (and designing a schedule around it) is one of the best tricks to ensure that everyone is sleeping well at night.
Struggling with your child's sleep? I have a short 8 lesson Starter Kit that will get you going on your journey to better sleep for your family.
Need advice getting more sleep? Here are posts on how you can:
- Get 30 more minutes of sleep per night
- Address early morning awakenings in your child
- Effectively sleep train your children
- Help teenagers get more sleep by advocating for later school start times
Originally published August 2026. Last reviewed/updated by Dr. Craig Canapari, MD in August 2026
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